KARACHI: M/s Hanif Enterprises has approached the Sindh High Court (SHC), challenging the valuation of its consignment of “natural raw rubber crepe” at the rate of $2070/- per metric ton instead of $1372/- per metric ton issued by the Director General of Valuation.
In its constitutional petition, the petitioner stated that he is a regular importer of natural rubber RSS/crape and entered into a sale contract with a foreign company to import natural raw rubber at $1372.00 /mt C & F, Karachi on June 28, 2016. The exporter shipped 17 mt as per commercial invoice # CR/July/2883 dated 05/07/2016 in fulfillment of the sale contract.
According to the petitioner, since the January 01, 2016 the natural raw rubber crepe value was being assessed by the sub ordinate of the Director General of the Valuation on the basis of old valuation ruling no 787/2016 dated January 01, 2016 @ US $ 2070/ mt ,subsequently respondents revisit the value and assess the fresh valuation after lapse of every 90 days which stood lapsed on April 01,2016. When petitioner’s consignment reached Karachi port dated July 15, 2016 and petitioner submitted goods declaration fair transactional value of $ 1372, the same is being enhanced to $ 2070 and denied the benefit of section 81 of the Customs Act, 1969.
Citing Secretary Ministry of Law, The Director General of Valuation, The Clearance of Collectorate through Chief Collector, Appraisement, the Collector of Customs Model Customs Collectorate of Appraisement East and West as respondents Petitioner pleaded the SHC may direct the respondents to release the goods to accept the defence savings certificate / pay order of the differential amount until the valuation ruling is revised. It also pleaded the Court may direct the respondents to finalize the valuation ruling within 30 days.